Digital Expression

One of the key questions for a business is:

"Which social media channel should I use?"

There is a need to justify the investment of resources. The answer is to focus on the networks that your customers are already using.  Go to where they already are rather than trying a "build it and they will come" approach.  

Furthermore, this is also a way of identifying which social network is likely to be a source of new customers.  Since your existing customers are on the network, it's reasonable to infer that people like them (that like your product) can also be found on that network.  One useful tool to help identify which social network(s) you should focus on is Flowtown.  

It's easy to create social profiles for every person in your email database:

A social profile provides data on a customer's demographics and interests as indicated on the social network and can therefore be used to not only enhance your social media marketing, but also to send more relevant and targeted email communications.

An alternative to Flowtown worth assessing is Rapleaf.

We've all read that followers of brands on Facebook spend more money than consumers who are not fans:

Why do your Facebook Fans spend more?

1. Your brand is front of mind, leading to increased frequency of purchasing and therefore a higher annual spend
2. You have more regular, yet informal contact with the brand, which as a consequence, penetrates your subconscious mind.  We have a greater affinity towards things we are familiar with. ( I studied Neuroscience at university, so I take an interest in these things : )
3. As customers, we feel like brands on Facebook are really listening to us. Since they care more about us than their competitors do, we return favor in kind.

So when situations arise when retail therapy comes to the surface, your brand wins. Triggers for increased purchase frequency:

1. Indecisive moments where you might be thinking about where to eat.  I keep thinking about Giapo Gelato when it's dessert time.
2. Idle time when you might be tempted to make an impulsive purchase. You might be browsing your newsfeed and buy a pair of shoes online that were on sale.  You could be walking down the street and see a Facebook sign in the window of a store that makes a connection to something you saw online earlier.

The Emarketer article reporting on the Syncapse and Hotspex study

The Syncapse Whitepaper describing their research methodology

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As of today, Amazon.com only has 71,477 Facebook Fans - a meager amount for a company of their size, especially when for example, Best Buy has 1,190,477 fans.  Why is this?

A jack of all trades is a master of none.

Try to be all things to all people and end up being no good to anyone.

On the other hand with Best Buy the focus is narrowed to consumer electronics.  If I choose to follow them, I know to expect electronics news and deals.  Further, it seems the more niche we get the greater the potential for community - The social object becomes clear.  For example, Starbucks, synonymous with coffee, has 7,952,792 fans. But go too niche and the audience can only get so big (which is fine too.) For example, the  Frappucino Page has about  2,000,000 followers.

The Hubspot chart above demonstrates a clear opportunity for Amazon, Ebay and Trademe on Facebook:  Form communities around specific movies, TV shows, bands, products and books like this one.

Your company can have a page, but communities also need to be cultivated for your key offerings.

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